MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – June 26 through July 2 marks National Mosquito Control Awareness Week and pest management companies have boosted its efforts to focus more on regions in need of mosquito control.
MGK Insect Solutions employees volunteered to package and ship 5,000 treated bed nets to families in Puerto Rico to help fight against the Zika virus. MGK says fighting diseases vectored by mosquitoes with innovative ways has been a goal of the company. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 1,500 locally acquired cases of Zika reported within the past year.
MGK produces backyard mosquito misting systems and is an innovator in the use of both natural pyrethrum and synthetic pyrethroids.
“Insects spread disease and protecting against that will always be a challenge, but at MGK we are continuously working to develop innovative and effective solutions to prevent the spread of disease,” said Jennifer Williams, entomologist, research and development for MGK. “Part of our mission is to help in any way we can and sending insect-controlling bed nets, which are treated with permethrin, to the frontline of the current Zika outbreak helps protect vulnerable families.”
In addition to Zika, MGK has noted that diseases vectored by mosquitos, such as malaria, dengue and the West Nile virus are an enormous public health challenge in all parts of the world. MGK’s parent company, Sumitomo Chemical, contributes life-saving efforts against malaria by supplying bed nets to African countries.